‘HEARTBROKEN’

Medical Transport Plane Crashes Killing Four

The plane crashed early Tuesday afternoon as it attempted to touch down.

A medical transport plane crashed and caught fire Tuesday on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona, killing four people, the tribe said in a statement. The Beechcraft King Air 300 took off from Albuquerque, New Mexico, with two pilots and two healthcare providers on board, according to the Federal Aviation Administration and CSI Aviation. The plane crashed early Tuesday afternoon near Chinle Airport, about 300 miles northeast of Phoenix, as it attempted to touch down. The cause of the crash remains unknown, but district Police Commander Emmett Yazzie said “they were trying to land there and unfortunately something went wrong.” The crew was due to pick up a critically ill patient from the federal Indian Health Service hospital in Chinle and head back to Albuquerque, according to Sharen Sandoval, director of the Navajo Department of Emergency Management. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident. The names of the four individuals killed in the crash haven’t been released. Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said he was “heartbroken” to hear the news of the crash. The four “were people who dedicated their lives to saving others.” He added on X: “Our prayers are with the families of those on the plane as investigations continue.”